Drop frame construction



July 15, 1952 s. G. JOHNSON DROP FRAME CONSTRUCTION 2 SHEETS-SHEET lFiled Nov. 18, 1950 l\p.l.\hu\l\\ X m b WMM Y f w MM.; ,Nm www F o O //Jww .I\.P\\W MUNWHHUIIWWW ll u .MnMM| \\l +i l r 0 G L 1` x @m mwf nwmwwww am bm www Nw. NN Sv 'July 15 1952 s. G. JoHNsoN 2,603,506

DROP FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 18, 1950 2 Sl-IEETS-SI-IEET 2Wir/Mgg.

l possible.

lof. strength.

Patented July 15, 1952 DROP FRAME CONSTRUCTION Samuel G. Johnson, Fort-Wayne, Ind., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporationof New Jersey ApplicationNovember 18, 195o, serial No. 196,489

12 Claims.V (Cl. 28o-106) 1 L'-lhis' invention relates to motor trucksand more particularly to a heavy duty truck incorporating a low bed orframe'of improved and novel construction that will support bodies, usingstandard sill construction; lower than heretofore In heavy dutyvehicles, the side sills of the chassis frame are formed as channels ofrelatively great depth to provide sufficient strength for supporting theheavy weights imposed thereagainst. Itvis-v desirable however, tomaintain the loading platform of the truck as low as possible tofacilitate'handling of the load and to obtain a low centerY of gravityfor stability in transport. To

meet theseconditions, necessitates the provision of reasonable clearancebetween the top ofthe vehicle axle and the bottom of the vehicle sidesills to allow for spring deflection. The tire radius plus-the axleradius at the sideslll plus the vclearance mentioned above plus thedepth ofv body height a maximum of` the 'vehicle 'side sill depth overthe axle. Y l Y 'VA' generalv` object of the invention is to provide avehicleframe that will permit' a lower mounting1 of standard bodies,which is relatively simple and economical-to manufacture.

A further object ofthe invention is tov devise such a frame which aoi'dsthe requisite strength and rigidity without encroaching upontheavailable space for the loading platform ofthe vehicle "Theinventionv contemplates a truck -v chassis frame having vside sillsformed as fabricated members includingsections disposed forwardly andfrearxvvaldly ofthe vehicle rear axle and joined over the axle by humpmembers of novel construction, which provide compactV connections '1 Amore 1 specific object ofthe yinvention is to bodies., of-'standardconstruction when mounted, have av `floor-height from the ground that isthe sum of the verticaldimensions of the above components.` Thisinvention describes a means of reducing'xthel 2 Y the sections of theside sills to provide a support on the entire top surfaces thereof forthe framework of the vehicle body and for the hump mem# bers to provideareas over the axle for supporting' the body framework coplanar with thetop sur-l faces of the sections of the chassis siderail. Y

More specifically the hump members are formed of novel cross-section inthe form of a sinusoidal curve, said members having portions tangentialto the plane of the *top support surface of the chassis frame and theareas of tangency being disposed directly over the rear axle of thevehicle and forming a support area for the framework of the associatedvehicle body. These and other objectsI of the invention will become moreapparent from the specification and the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary isometric view of a ve hicle frameworkincorporating the-invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lineV2-r2 ofFigure 3.

Fig. 3 is a 'fragmentary top plan view, and Figure 4 is alsectional viewtaken substantially in the plane indicated fby the line 4-4 of Figure3;- Parts may be omitted in certain views where better shownrin othersfor purpose of clarity.` Describing theinvention in detail, the motortruck illustratedV is of heavy duty type and comprises reardrivingwheels 2, '2 which are driven in Aconventional manner by a driveor torque shaft s 4 connected through Aa differential and axles 6 to thewheelsl y2.; .2. The axles and diflerentialare enclosed withinl aconventionalhousing 8 which extends between the wheels 2, 2 at oppositesides of thetruckr'i. f Y A chassis frame generally indicated I0 -isspring-supported from'the housing r8 by means of leafA orzsemiellipticspringsl2. |'2 disposed at 0D- posite sidesi-of the truck, eachy springbeing't connectedjintermediate its endseto the housing BabyafclarnpY '144which is preferably a -U -rbolt. The opposite ends of each springA I-2are connected asat lB and Il n ,(Fig 4) to an adjacent side sill Zll'ofjthe ,framellL The connection at IB may comprise a bracket v2 and aAconventional pinjoint between the spring IZ- and bracket 22,!the'and"'fastene'd' preferably as by rivetsftothecut-f' board 'side o'ftherelated side member:

rEach side member or rail 20 is formez in :wo

sections lav anaamhe vsection A2a bemdipbsea 2,603,506 v1 3 4 forwardlyof the housing 8 and section 30 rearextends the full length of surfaces'I6 and 13 and Wardly thereof. The related SeCtiOIlS 28 and 30 seatsthereon and 0n the Surface 80, On each of each side sill 20 are alnedlongitudinally 0f liner 84 is positioned a continuous side rail or thevehicle and each is aU-section channel membeam 86 0f the truck bodyframework 12, AS ber. Each member 28 comprises generally hor- 5 shown inthe drawings, each side member 86 is zontal inwardly extending Webs orflanges 32 and preferably a U-shaped channel member which 34 and anintervening substantially Vertical outis bolted at a plurality of pointstothe associated board Wall 36:.inter-connecting theflangesV 32 and sidesill vof the chassis .frameeasgby v,ll-bolts 88. 34. Each section'Salso'comprisesl-top and hOt-A The :side rails 86; 86 of-the framework ofthe 'G0111 generally hOlZOIltal rltlllned engeS 33 and 1P body may beinterconnected in any convenient 40 and an interconnecting substantiallyoutboard? vl manner such as by welding by a plurality of cross wall 42.As best Seen in Fg- 4 the .bottom edge`v beams Se, 90. The cross bracesare superposed on of the rear end 0f each member 28' iS tapered Upt the'rails 86 and carry the truck platform thereon wardlv rearwardly as atMandzthe bottom edge' asv Ais i conventional practice and readilyunderat'the forward end of each sectionU-iszlared l5 stood'bythoseskilled in the art.

downwardly toward the forward end of the mem- Thust Winfbe :Seen thatthe body fmm@VerkY bel' 30 aS at 45- This COhStl'llCtOhPfOl/des the.- yis supported aloner the entire extent of the side dasired Of theSeCtOnStzB all; lsusmof the frame and a novel sup- Connection by therelated hump member 33'-l port-directly over the axila is provided bythe Each hump member 43 S h1 the fom 0f a 20 hump members 48, 68 whichalso serve as posi- Smlwdal huma i111 Sidei @tel/'ation and is 0f Ztioning means therebetween forthe body frarne-v f section andffomprisesan outwardly-extending Work 720 lThemembere 4g being effziseeten top-flaneeorweb-e mereine'atits inboard edge and ,of the shapedeseribedform a rigid fand With the'teptedge 0f a Vertical Wall 52- Which-atstrong connectionr between VAthe sections-of its-loweredge;merges-'With,theolltboald edeehf 25 sidesll Van'djoinwith'extensivefareas'of'the an intunieclfbottom` flange V5t Theforwardend tions adjacent to the top and bottom edges-there.- portion'ES-ofeachV member is'alignedfwth'the 0f l end ofi-the related member28transverselythere- I clamz' l Y l Y I offand'hasethe inboardiside oftheweb 52 -thereof 1.. In a ychassis fremevfrer. elfe-etel- Vehelelongi;bealhg against the Outboard ,Side 0f 'thewebs 3Q tudinal sidegfragnieyelements, eachv elementcomfn endl joined thereto' hzahy Cont/@fliehtmanner Lansing-,longitudinally alignedseclons` U--shaped`Anrefelablyrrras by@ plurality 0f IWets 58: The inpcross section,eachsectioncomprising inwardly flange 5411s disposed'beneath the flange,3lland extending Op land Abom-,em vfiemgesandv elrsubl., h1Complementary" engagement on. 13119. top ,Y 51de stantiallyv vertically.outboard; Wal-l ,interconnect-1 thereofywith v thefbottorc. sideofjlan'geetdT AThe 3,5 ingeeaid angeel @hump member Shaped in flange' 54may' be connected; by' Weldmgror cross section interconnecting saidsections and riveting at 62 along its longitndrnallandtransccmprigmgan.V Substantially Vertieal" Wall come Ve'seedges t0 theangem' i. r nected to the Aoutboardvsides-0f-tllezll/alls of SeidThe-Teelt'. extension 'st'of ,each'hump memlfe' sectionsvandahavinganjinturnedbottom ilange *may be similarly connectedto'the rea-I' Sectmn40- extendingaat onexendf beneath thefloottorn flange, 30 of the relatedside sillv2e.; The rearend of of Oneseetan and Connected thereto and abthe: aneeezmaybe disposed ,beneath theahgegl otherendbeneath;tnebettemnangeof the other3 0f .member 3. ,and Weldconneted of.Yeted' sectionandgconnected thereto, said bottom Harige therete'i @1011its* longitudinal :and tl'tlhfflfet5@v being;convexednpiizardly andpresenting an area. edges.,v The-Wellmay engage-warmst @99m-'i 45: on:the.topfisde thereof coplanarl-Wth,thetop. boardnsieerowall 42- end,mayote Gonne ted sides ofrtnertoprlflanges of,saidsettlers-te;provisieYtheleto farhypluahtyof nVetS-Bs" sa a support surface for anassoeiatedyehiclerbody; T'he'adlaceht ends 0f therelated. Sections ,2 8 saidareabeing disposeddnwardlyfQtsaidiwallof andr@ mer befsheered diagonallyes 'at '68 @1,151 tnememberancbeme seb-stan eoexterniveofreslectVetY'ahdfleve thntehmedatftl-P 50 transversely :ofVrvk saidsectionsaw u wardl-y,v convexed portion of Ythevflangeerl, tnere-` ofVsaid;mp*ages fand, i 'aii' between: :Is-twill be Seenthet the members.4t 43: longitudinal-ums the-renale; aille.dsposelagainstthe 9111319033@01T; @lltwhrd 2. Inra chassis frame format Y, Y sdfestoif .thefSde 'Sms'21' *mand that theydfo'ot gitudinal side element at eacngside theframe;encroach on the available space foretheebody 55Sadjelemenhcemprsilng.Spaeedisceiqn'tanni framework generally-'indicated.72A 'O f al truth body wardiy eurred numb..memilerenterconnectingeeny'14,. Fig-f1t- ,Eahlsdeftafl hmvldes. :Clpll'nttt jacent-endsoiasaidsectionsoveritlfle,vehicle:axlel Seetngselzhpport Surfaces 16 and781011 th? top; said member being Z-shapodin;.Gross-section,and1 Sidee'ethelangest 3?- .end' ,3B-0f thQ-memhet; comprisingalbettominwardlextending-lange andi-39 reDfn'Sa-Seathg afeeextendihefthe 60saicljiange;.beinenrvedbetw adiaoentfen Sf fullelengthfof Said memhefsf`The hehe@ 5420i; of'said sections and-proridingffaseating; areeaohomerlober -providee et the Crest 0f its; entre; tnahignestifseementthereof substantalr tute @Srea'tmgvafreazap opl'alhrwlth the Surf@ .sgplanar with the top sides of said sections top 1li-arid118e. 'lf-171earee-lsiprefierably tangential. vide ,therewith a Yerinnert:su-rinde.;'for.an eliotoi the-ple evof. the Surfaces 1t and 1li-and, "5eiateelf VJele.-teatrinotemmeninane-r otlr above-for Vertical ,alignment3.., Inaiveliic1eehaesisfframeiafpar of; Y v -QllSng 8': fThersidmemhelsfl-Ofg connected side si1l s, "each illcomprising., n theNahrneglillmay beintercgmnected at. longi-v 4 Y tudinally spaced points-:by crossl bracesv or lciearnsv 872; l'sandfas Shown infie,- 3thesebleemeyl loe-disposed fore and aft ofv the axle .area .of the,venieibnassjisfrafne; -l ltwililbe unlerstoodtnat anySuitable.rmmleer:0fv 'leslstreeef 'e @aimeraient-lle I uiis'tueuppermostarea. jor said intermediate tudiriali' si'de'f members, eachside-memb`er com-y prisingefrward andrearsections aligned longi*tudinally v'of the vehicle,adjacent ends ofsaidside'lsection'svbeinglinterconnected by a hump member curvedupwardly, said hump member having an inturned bottom flange 'extendingat itsends beneath the, endsof V the respective ,sections and connectedthereto, said h ump member having a substantially :verticali wall..merging at its bottomedge 'with the outboard' edge of said bottomilangeand buttressedy atits inboardjside against theL outboard sidesbf Y saidsections and connected'-fthereto,v --a-n outturned' flange' merging atits inboard edge with the top edge of said Wall, said bottom flangeextending between adjacent ends of said sections, said sections beingsheared diagonally at adjacent ends whereby permitting the curvature ofsaid bottom flange to be substantially flattened.

5. In a motor truck, a vehicle chassis frame comprising spaced sidemembers, each side member having a hump portion, a vehicle axle housingbeneath said hump portions and movable into said hu-.mp portions, springmeansA resiliently supporting said chassis frame said housing, said sidemembers providing seating areas on their top edges interrupted over theaxle, said hump portions providing a seating surface in the plane ofsaid seating areas directly over the axle housing, each portion beingoffset outboardly of the plane of the related side member and having theseating surface thereof in the plane of the side member, a bodyframework having longitudinal continuous side beams superposed directlyabove each side member and seated on the seating area thereof and on thesurface of said portion thereof, and means connecting said frameworkwith said chassis frame.

6. In a motor truck, spaced driving wheels, a housing therebetweenenclosing driving means therefor, a chassis frame having spaced sidesills disposed between said wheels and spring-supported fromA saidhousing, each sill comprising an upwardly curved section over thehousing, the section having an inwardly extending flange at the bottomthereof in the plane of the related sill and having the remainderthereof offset outboardly of the plane of the sill and having asubstantially vertical portion extending above the top side of vthesill, the top side of each sill and said flange presenting substantiallycoplanar seating areas, and a load-carrying framework seated on saidareas in close confinement between said vertical portions of saidsections.

7. In a vehicle chassis frame, spaced side sills, each sill comprisingfore and aft sections, an over the axle connection between said sectionsand comprising a hump member having an intermediate portion in the formof a sinusoidal curve convexed upwardly, and having end portions inalignment with said sections transversely of the frame, one end portionbeing connected to the outboard and bottom side of the adjacent end ofone of the sections and the other end portion being connected to theoutboard and bottom sides of the adjacent end of the other portion, saidhump member being Z-shaped in cross section and having substantiallyparallel top and bottom flanges and a substantially vertical web betweenand interconnecting said iianges, said bottom flange-at said.intermediateA portion of said mem-e.

ber extending between said sections.: n z i 8. In ave'hiclezchassisframe, spacedside members'` each -side .member comprising aplurality;of.

sections, Vone of said sections tapering toward the.otherffandi'theother section flaring toward the othergian aupwardly:curved .humpA member` 21.-. shaped 'iin cross.- section having a bottom.flangeconnected .tol thev bottomsides of said sections,l a.

substantially vertical wall extending/upwardly from the outboard.edgeo-fsaidbottom flange and4 connected :tol'the outboard sides ofsaid-sections,y an. 'outturned .flange extending .outboardly from theupper edge of said wall, a spring adj acent each side Vmembenandextending longitudinally of the vehicle,fe'ach springhavingitsendsconnected tothe: sections of the related side sill at areas'..out,-

wardly of the hump member, and anunsprung mass extending beneath saidhump members over the springs and connected thereto and movable into theplane of the chassisy frame within said hump members.

9. In a motor vehicle, a chassis frame, said chassis frame having spacedside members having seating areas on the top sides thereof extending thefull length of the frame and discontinued only in the area over the-vehicle axle, each side member having an outwardly offset section overthe axle and extending above said area and having upwardly curvedportions at the bottom thereof providing a seating area at its cresttangential to the said seating area of the side members, and a vehicleframe comprising a side rail at each side thereof continuous andsubstantially straight and extending from one end of the frame to theother end of the frame and seated on all of said areas of the sidemembers and portions therebelow.

l0. The combination with an upsprung mass including a transverse axleassembly, of a side sill y for a vehicle chassis frame comprising spacedsections in longitudinal alignment, an upwardly offset hump memberextending over the axle assembly and interconnecting adjacent ends ofsaid sections, said hump member having an upwardly convexed portionextending between adjacent ends of said sections and providing at thecrest of its curvature a bearing surface generally tangential to theplane of the top sides of said sections and affording a seat therewithfor an associated supported structure, said hump member having itsremaining portion offset laterally with respect to said sections andconnected to the sides thereof and providing :an upstanding inwardlyfacing body-confining surface above the level of said sections disposedoutboardly of said bearing surface, and a leaf spring operativelyconnected between said axle assembly and the side sill and disposedbeneath and generally paralleling said remaining portion of the humpmember.

l1. A side sill for a motor vehicle chassis frame comprising spacedsections, a hump member against the outboard sides of said sections andconnected thereto, said hump member being Z- shaped in cross section andhaving an outboardly extending flange at its upper edge and having aninwardly extending flange at its lower edge and having a substantiallyverticalweb intermediate said flanges and merging therewith, said humpported structure.`

A12. ^A silimember for; a. :motor vre'lfiiclevv chassisframecomprisingvspace'd sections, a.. connecting elementinterconnecting! said sections, each vseotion comprisingtop andbottominwardly extending anges .and anoutboard substantiallyverticalWalvlbetween the iianges and merging therewith, said; element jcomprising. .a substantially vertical webzaeonnectedat opposite ends totheoutboard sides fofthe outboard wallsiof `said sections; ia .botftom:.,ange on said elementextending inwardly'- from; the lower edge,ofsaid Web and having-.one end beneath the bottomhangeioioneofsaidisections; andr connected therewith and having its other .endbeneaththe :bottom iange of .the other oisaidfsections and.y connectedVtherexvith,H said angef t'sa-id element bei-Iig;curvedupwardlyfinfterrneciiatey its `rends-- withfthegbottom:edgeizsaid.

web and extending between :adj .acentends .Qfgald; sections-toV apointlno -higherthanzthetonsidesyof said. sections.- said.` web.; extendingabove; the-:ton sidesof said sections, Aand' outboardly extend?ingangeon thefupperedeefof s aid'web.V

v SAMUEL. G. JQHISOIiIy Y REFERENGES CITED

